VOL. 55 ISSUE 6 FEBRUARY 13, 2018 P89
Ditto the back end. Right out of the
crate the back-end performs well, at least
on par with the 2017 450 SX-F. We didn't
feel the need to make changes, though
one test rider slowed down the rebound
a tick because of a particular nasty bump
on the track that caused the back end
to kick a bit more than he wanted. The
problem was quickly solved without any
sacrifices. None of these changes hurt
the overall balance of the bike, which we
felt was darn good right from the get-go.
This bike turns! It gets in and out of the
corners quickly, berm or no berm. The
front end feels light and agile, yet always
stays put and planted, which might have
a lot to do with the rigidity changes they
made to the frame. By reducing front-to-
back flexing, not only does this improve
absorption over the bumps, KTM says it
also improves stability when setting up
for the turns over rough ground since the
bike isn't moving around and twitching as
much. Whatever it is, we just know that
the KTM turns really good from as soon
as you hit the brakes to as soon as you
hit the throttle.
But what we probably like most about
the KTM is its engine. It's extremely
powerful yet amazingly easy to manage
and control, seemingly more so than the
standard 450 SX-F. You can rev it, bog
it, whatever, and it will take care of you.
Our expert-level test rider preferred the
more aggressive of the two handlebar
mapping choices, which he felt made
the bike feel a bit more responsive, and
he utilized the traction control whenever
he thought it was appropriate, mainly on
dry, hard-packed and loose surfaces.
Our much slower vet rider also liked the
aggressive mode but pretty much left it in
TC mode full time. Basically, this engine
can be ridden anyway you want; it's very
controllable from low through midrange,
and if you really want to go, just open 'er
up—you won't be disappointed. This thing
is fast!
And just when you think it couldn't get
any better, there is very little vibration at
any rpm, and changing gears feels even
smoother and more precise than before.
Just tap the shifter and that's it. The DDS
clutch helps out here, too. Other KTM
off-road models already have the DDS
design and we've always been a fan be-
cause of its smooth feel and operation.
Reliability seems to be good, as well. We
just wonder why it took so long for the
450 SX-F to get it.
Comfort has been improved, as well.
The new bodywork is trimmer throughout
The Factory
Edition gets
updated
triple clamps.
A smaller
and lighter
engine equals
improved
mass
centralization.
